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8/12/15

Wow. 1 Year since making our adoption final in court. It was quite a day and you can read about it here, but what I've learned is our joy is being manifested in full in eternity. There are literal clouds of witnesses rejoicing over the love, labor, and fight for this kid. Zach, your God is strong, mighty, and very very big.

He has moved more than mountains for you. You will see that someday. He has taken a broken couple and used them in ways we could have never dreamed. Your God is amazing. And you have let me see that. He fights, advocates, never gives up, and His love definitely never runs out. This year has been a marathon, not a sprint, and we are still running. I want to celebrate your life. All the life you have gotten to live in your short time with us. I can't believe its only been 1 year, yet 19 months you were placed in our home as a foster child. We love you Zach and we are so proud of you. We can't wait to keep pushing you to the max and throwing as much life at you as possible. Every day, you surprise us and make us smile. You are in a family now, Zach. These pictures below are your normal life now. You get to do everything a boy your age should be doing. I love that we are in a new normal. All 3 of our kids play, fight, chase, joke, and love each other.... as if it always were. There is a calmness in the midst of a major life transition. I am so grateful for what God lets us do. I hope you always know you have the masses behind you. Our family has been so surrounded and loved since you came to us, to them, you owe your thanks for us keeping our heads above water.

Our kids love nothing more right now than to look at all of our pictures. So, in attempt to keep up with where all we have been traveling to..... here are some of our favorite memories of 2015 so far! We have just entered the life phase where it is so much fun to travel with the kids. They are a blast to take places and we have a big bucket list of places to go!!!

The Fourth. This year was our annual tradition to head over to Tims family in Alpharetta, eat fried chicken that Chef (his dad) makes. He soaks in it buttermilk and its ridiculous! After we eat, we walk across the street to the Atlanta Athletic Club, where his grandparents are members and I believe everyone in Tim's family had their first job there! It was special this year. You know those moments that just freeze in time? During the show, tears welled up in my eyes when I got a glimpse of this shot below... Just Tim wearing his company shirt our kids laying all around and it was just one of those moments.

Some of our friends gave us their Braves tickets for July 5th! It was Mackenzie's 1st Braves game! She did not want to go at first because she was sure she was going to get hit with a baseball. Once we arrived, they all had a blast. The boys got on the Jumbotron dancing and the Bat Boy signed Mackenzie's baseball Chef gave her to take to the game. It was a fun day.

David spent last week at Wake Boarding camp at Terminus. It was incredible. The staff was amazing and so great with kids. David learned within the first hour of camp and then they move them onto other parts of the course. It is perfect for every level. He had a great week and we loved hanging out and watching him!

My kids very best friends moved off our street at the beginning of the year. We have kept in touch and not missed a beat. For Father's Day weekend, we all went to the mountains. This was near the Cartecay River. All 6 kids literally lived in the river all weekend. They fished, swam, kayaked, and played for hours and hours. We had the best time and amazing weather. They will definitely remember this trip!!

All 3 kids went to Vacation Bible School the first week of summer. The theme was Everest and this was the third year in a row for David and Mackenzie and Zach's second time. They learned so much and I am so grateful for these weeks of just focusing on their relationship with Christ.

Mackenzie has been taking gymnastics once a week this summer. It has been really fun to all go together and watch her. She is definitely a natural at it!

Me and the boys watching Mackenzie!

David has been really into the chore charts this summer and saving up. He cuts the grass every other week and he is actually really good. Of course, he is already asking if he can have his own business next summer and cut yards!

Zach is a champ and he is busting out his summer school and going to an amazing camp! He is plowing forward, but still has some catching up to do. He loves summer school and it is amazing watch him just be excited to learn and not even whine about it. He is also going to Clay White camp. It is a phenomenal camp that is labeled PEOTSI (physical education, occupational therapy, sensory integration) and Zach has gown leaps and bounds from it. The only way I know how to describe it is that it is like Ninja Warrior Social Skills camp. Its intense socially and physically. Summer is his absolute favorite time of the year and it is neat to watch him just thrive.

David and Mackenzie got to do a one week camp sponsored by Camp Glisson here in Marietta. It was the closest I could find to a camp similar to Zachs so they could do something outdoorsy. They went with tons of friends from here and it was really fun.

We kicked off summer with Memorial Day weekend in St. Simons Island!!! My sister and her boys met up with us since they live in Savannah so the cousins had a blast. We rented a Catamaran one day and took the kids out. It was unbelievably fast and crazy. The kids had a blast together.

St. Simons Lighthouse, kid's 1st lighthouse we climbed!

Mother's Day Weekend we went away with my mom, dad, and sisters family. My grandmother recently passed away so we wanted to do something different. It was a special weekend away together and we loved seeing all the cousins play!

Stone Mountain ropes course

My favorite picture of the boys from Easter

Our 11 year anniversary on March 6, 2015. We celebrated at St. Cecilas.

I know you only see 5 girls in this picture, but there are actually 6!!!! Jessica, to the left of Mackenzie, is expecting Little Allie in August. We are beyond thrilled and excited for more Willis women! And this will be Mackenzie's first girl cousin, she cannot contain herself! So excited!

In February, Winter Break, we packed up and went to Boone, NC where Tim's family has a place. We decided to put the kids in ski school and see what happened!!! Well, the weekend we went, it literally snowed 11 inches. Fresh powder everywhere! Freezing, but so fun. Probably one of our favorite trips by far. All 3 kids got up and learned to ski. It was a crazy trip, but we stayed warm and cozy in the cabin.

Cheers to 2015 so far! Let's put another awesome year in the books, Zach!!!